Press Coverage Is the New SEO: How to Get Found in an AI-Driven World

In the era of AEO and LLMs, brands without press won’t exist online.

The rules of online visibility have changed quickly. Traditional SEO tactics are no longer enough to get your brand discovered. With the rise of AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) and AI-powered large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT, Google Gemini, and Perplexity, search engines and AI assistants now prioritize trusted sources and high-authority press coverage when recommending products and brands.

If your business isn’t being featured in reputable publications, there’s a good chance AI won’t recognize you, and neither will your customers. Press coverage is now the single most powerful driver of visibility in an AI-driven world, making public relations not just a marketing strategy, but a survival strategy.

A recent MuckRack study found that 70% of AI-powered searches pull answers directly from press coverage, specifically earned media. With print continuing to decline and consumers turning fully digital, public relations agencies have become more essential than ever.

Now, with AI reshaping search and recommendation engines, securing consistent earned media is mission-critical for brands that want to rank in AI-powered answers.

“The PR industry is celebrating,” says Chelsea Gladden, CEO of Everything Branding, an award-winning public relations and e-commerce marketing agency helping brands reach U.S. consumers, grow revenue, boost visibility, and dominate AI-powered discovery.

“Our digital-savvy PR agency has always been ahead of the curve, staying on top of fast-changing algorithms and consumer behavior,” Gladden explains. “It’s been exciting to see our clients consistently rank first when AI recommends products in their category.”

Everything Branding is recognized as one of the best PR agencies for global brands looking to reach U.S. consumers and also a top PR agency for small businesses. Regardless of client size, the agency has a proven track record: brands that consistently secure earned media with Everything Branding appear more often in AI-driven product recommendations and high-authority search results.

Not all agencies have kept up with AI-driven search and Answer Engine Optimization. Technical knowledge is now essential in PR, but one-off press hits are no longer enough.

“Brands need to understand that public relations is an ongoing strategy,” Gladden shares. “To rank in AI-driven search results, you need continuous press coverage. It’s also far more impactful when PR works hand-in-hand with Google, Meta, and Amazon ads paired with systems for email capture and retargeting.”

For example, one earned-media feature might drive 1,000+ visitors to your site, but without proper capture systems, brands lose those potential customers. A comprehensive PR and advertising strategy ensures you convert that visibility into revenue.

A common mistake many brands make, Gladden explains, is “just turning on Google Ads” without brand awareness. “No one is going to search for your company on Google if they’ve never heard of you,” she says.

Everything Branding regularly sees brands waste money on ads too early. The better approach:

1. Get your brand featured in trusted publications.
2. Build awareness through earned media.
3. Layer ads on top of that visibility.

This approach consistently drives stronger performance. In fact, Everything Branding clients see up to a 97% YoY increase in ad performance when earned media and paid campaigns work together.

With AI-powered search engines and LLMs now shaping consumer discovery, press coverage has become the foundation of online visibility. If you’re not featured in the media, AI won’t recommend you.

Whether global enterprises targeting U.S. consumers or small businesses trying to scale, working with an AI-savvy PR agency like Everything Branding isn’t optional anymore.

“AI is now the first place consumers go to discover products and services,” Gladden says. “If your brand isn’t in the press, you simply won’t be part of that conversation.”

In today’s AI-driven, AEO-powered world, your brand visibility depends on your press visibility. Because in the age of AI, one rule defines brand discovery: If you’re not in the press, you don’t exist online.